From the Diaspora…ONCE UPON A TIME IN NEW AMSTERDAM

Mar 16, 2014 News

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By Ralph Seeram
One of the highlights of visiting the Botanical Gardens was to see the manatees; there were two living among the “water lilies”. Parents out for an evening stroll brought their children for a glimpse.
These manatees did surface frequently, and some visitors to the New Amsterdam Botanical Gardens sometimes tried to feed them.
Yes New Amsterdam had its Botanical Gardens. It was a beautiful garden, well laid out with palm trees, a variety of flowers, ferns as well as benches to relax. It also housed a gazebo, and a lovers’ den at night, where many New Amsterdamers were conceived.
It was a place where families went to relax surrounded by, where children could run around and play, and where one could always find a peaceful corner to meditate.
There is no sign of the Botanical Gardens ever being in New Amsterdam. Well it was where the High Court is now located at the junction of Princess Elizabeth Road, Vryheid Street and Esplanade Road. There is a lot of history in those gardens, because the same compound once housed the seat of government of the then country of Berbice. Berbice was a separate country with New Amsterdam as its capital until the three counties merged to become British Guyana in the 1830s.
It was a beautiful time to live and grow up in New Amsterdam which was a very clean and peaceful town, a friendly town where almost everyone probably knew each other resident, where you were always greeted with a friendly “good morning” or “good afternoon”.
I thought it ironic when I read reports on the opening ceremony for the celebration of the 122nd anniversary as a Municipality. The ceremony which was held at the “Government House” is just across from where the Botanical Gardens and the very historic Court of Policy building were.
The history of the town goes back a 100 years beyond 1891 when the municipality was established. New Amsterdam, Guyana’s oldest Municipality is more than two hundred years old, so the natural question one would ask is what progress has the town made in its 200 years of existence.
I visit my hometown and I am ashamed to see the filthy condition the town is in.
There was a time the town was very clean. The Town Council had a team of people just to keep the drains clean and cut all overgrowth and bushes.
There was never an issue of flooding in the town unlike today when “if rain set up the town flood”.
I go to Vryman’s Erven, a once neat and clean laid out housing scheme and I am appalled at the condition of the place. It is laced with potholes, overgrown bushes and garbage among some beautiful houses.
This was a town that was very independent; it provided its own electricity and water. Blackout was not as frequent as it is now because the Municipality once owned the electric and water supply plants.
Do you know Republic Road used to be the place to have an evening stroll? The parapets were clean, those large trees that lined the road had their trunks painted with “white wash” which made the place even more attractive. As it got darker a few lovers could be spotted behind the huge trunks of the trees.
Besides the Gardens parents often used to take their kids for a stroll to the Esplanade, sometimes for a band concert conducted by Mr. Randolph Bennett.
One could also take an evening walk to the New Amsterdam stelling to enjoy some fresh sea breeze (at least when mosquito and sand fly not in season).
I go to New Amsterdam and my friends take me outside New Amsterdam for entertainment. People used to come to the town for entertainment. Penguin Hotel used to be the place to stay or for entertainment.
I recall my brother holding his wedding reception there. Recently Penguin Hotel has made moves to recapture its glorious past as a centre for entertainment and culture promoting poetry night and other cultural activities.
Wedding receptions and conferences are back and hotel rooms are upgraded. There was a time when visitors only stayed at the Penguin Hotel or Church View Hotel.
Fast forward to the present, one wonders what can bring the town back to its glorious past. First the town has to get rid of the filth and garbage. I know recently the Municipality entered into an arrangement to have the garbage picked up at regular intervals.
What is needed is cooperation of its residents; the resources of the people need to be harnessed, but it takes a special kind of leader to harness people.
We need to get back to the old self help days, which I must say was a credit to the then PNC government.
It’s not a major task to clean up the town; all it needs is the cooperation of it residents and the business community.
A large blame for the unsanitary condition of the town lies with the business community who should ensure garbage is disposed of properly. These New Amsterdam businessmen can start by placing receptacles so the public can dispose of garbage in containers rather than litter the streets. The residents need to be re-educated on keeping their environment clean.
The town needs to address the needs of youths, provide outlets like Community Centers and playfields for them.
Some time in  a future column I will deal with moving the town from “shop keeping” to manufacturing, to create jobs, you see “shop keeping” sends money away from the town, manufacturing brings money and jobs to the town.
Then again we do need a reliable supply of electricity. The town has been experiencing frequent blackouts recently and I have been asked to complain about it, so can anyone from GPL say when the blackouts in New Amsterdam will end?
Ralph Seeram can be reached at email: [email protected]

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